The point of posting that is NOBODY ever taught osas until Augustine came along, including the biblical writers who certainly were inspired
Here's one the osas crowd cannot explain away:
2 Peter 2:20
For if after they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
Here, the Lord is teaching thru Peter that one can most certainly fall away and become WORSE off than they were before they got born again.
It's always good to look at the whole counsel of God on these topics because when we do that we learn that osas is false doctrine that cannot be substantiated by scripture unless one hold to a few happy verses and throws the rest of God's Word out which of course is what the osas crowd does.
At any rate, enjoy discussing amongst yourself as I'm not going to waste time getting in to an argument over osas being false doctrine as shown in God's warnings found all over His Word.
Well, if you choose not to defend your position, you're certainly free to do so my friend. Perhaps others here that read this thread would be interested see how I would address your claim/perspective ... so then ... I proceed ....
You said, "Here's one the osas crowd cannot explain away:
2 Peter 2:20
For if after they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning."
In other words, you believe that this text supports the assertion that there will be some genuine, blood-bought Holy Spirit regenerated believers who will subsequently forfeit/lose their salvation, and consequently perish eternally in the Lake of Fire. At least that's what I'm perceiving your viewpoint to be from your posts ... feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. In either case, I'll respond to the viewpoint that the text supports that position.
Could you show me where in that passage it states that any genuine believer will actually be "overcome"? Here I believe that genuine believers are being addressed, and "overcome" refers to spiritual death ... I simply don't see where in the passage it is stated that any single believer will experience total apostasy [i.e -loss of their eternal life]. The operative word here is "if" - which obviously involves a hypothetical scenario. Here I hold to the Molinist position concerning the hypothetical aspect presented in the passage.
Molinism is not inherently a soteriological system, but elements of it can be applied to soteriology.
A person is a "mere Molinist" if they affirm :
(a) God is in control of everything
(b) man is genuinely free [although limitations exist].
(c) God uses middle knowledge to accomplish His purposes.
God's knowledge can be divided into 3 logical moments :
(a) Natural - His knowledge of everything that [could] happen in any given circumstance.
(b) Middle - His knowledge of everything that [would] happen in any given circumstance.
(c) Free - His knowledge of everything that actually [will] happen in any given circumstance. Free knowledge is synonymous with foreknowledge.
The most common objection to a Molinist's perspective on warning passages such as 2 Peter 2:20-22 runs like this :
"The problem with fearing warnings that are not real, is that they end up being meaningless as far as consequences go. As I look through history as God has written it - which the author of Hebrews does - God's warnings are real and He is to be accordingly feared."
In response I would say :
The Molinist does not claim that the warnings [along with the consequences] aren't real.
For example, let's take the warning label on lawnmowers. Manufacturers are lawfully required to mark an easily seen warning that says something along these lines, "DANGER!! ... KEEP HANDS AND FEET AWAY TO AVOID SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH"
A Molinist can assert :
(1) What is the purpose of the warning? ... to prevent serious injury or death.
(2) Is it logical or coherent to assert that any person will or must actually place their hands or feet under the lawnmower in order to make the warning real? ... I don't believe so.
(3) Whether or not a person [including genuine believers] complies with the warning does not do away with the actual consequences that would accompany failure.
(4) Whether or not, and which persons, will actually fail to heed the warning(s) and suffer the real consequences is an entirely distinct question.
(5) The purpose of warning passages such as 2 Peter 2:20 --- The warning passages [scattered throughout the scriptures] are just one of the many means that God utilizes in order to preserve His children safely into their Heavenly inheritance. God utilizes both positive means [blessings] as well as negative [chastenings] in order to fulfill His promises.
Must believers persevere by faith, in the faith? ... or does God preserve the believer's faith? ... it's not an "either/or" scenario, but rather "both/and" :
(1) We [believers] must persevere by faith, in the faith to enter Heaven (2 Tim. 2:12; Heb.3:14;10:26). Not to persevere is to perish.
(2) God will preserve us [believers] in our faith even though at times we may doubt and wander from the path of righteousness. But He will always remain true to his promise by ensuring that none of His children will fall so far as to finally and forever fail. God will preserve us, we will in fact persevere, we will endure in faith.
Jude 1:1-2,”Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and
preserved in Jesus Christ."
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24,” Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful,
who will also do it."